Forsa survey on behalf of ORION: The COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on our sex life

More sex during the COVID-19 pandemic with home office and lockdown? As if! At least that is what a recent Forsa (Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis) survey in Germany commissioned by ORION has shown. 73% of the participants stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had no influence on their love life at all. A majority of the participants even stated – if COVID had an influence on their sex life with a partner – that they had less sex with a partner during the pandemic. However, it’s quite different when it comes to masturbation: 77% stated that the pandemic had no influence on their masturbation frequency, but 11% said that they masturbated more often during the pandemic times and 8% masturbated less often. By the way, this doesn’t just apply to the singles: people in a relationship have also masturbated more frequently than they did before the pandemic. 

More and more people own sex toys – with a trend towards owning more than one 

The percentage of people who own at least one sex toy has risen from 47% in 2017 to 51% in 2021. A result of the pandemic? At least that’s what the sales figures suggest – especially during the first lockdown. What is particularly striking: while the percentage of people who own one sex toy has decreased by 5% between 2017 and 2021, the number of people who state that they own more than one has increased by 9%. Men in particular have acquired a taste for sex toys: the share of men who own at least one sex toy has increased by 9% over the past 4 years. 

The biggest increase happened in the age bracket between 30 and 39. Couples also treat themselves to a second or third sex toy: the percentage of people who are in a relationship and own more than one sex toy has increased by 10% since the last Forsa survey commissioned by ORION. 

Sex toys? Women buy them for their own pleasure, men for their partner’s pleasure 

The survey shows that the main reason for using a sex toy is variety: 55% said that they use sex toys to make sex with a partner more diverse – in 2017 it were “just” 51%. There are clear differences between the genders: most women use sex toys for masturbation (64%), with variety far behind in second place – followed by the statement that it is easier to reach an orgasm when using one (36%). Men stated that the most important aspect for them is variety (61%), followed by the answer that they want to pleasure their partner (53%). 

Women masturbate more frequently 

Speaking of pleasure: masturbation is also known for bringing a lot of pleasure. By the way: it also increases self-confidence and self-love! This year’s survey also shows a change compared to the last Forsa survey commissioned by ORION in 2017: especially women masturbate more frequently than they did 4 years ago. But men as well tend to play with themselves more frequently. In 2017, 79% of men stated that they masturbate at least once a month, while in 2021 the number got up to 85%. The difference is even more distinctive for the women: the percentage of women who masturbate at least once a month has increased from 49 to 60%. The largest increase was among those being in a relationship, while the percentage of singles who pleasure themselves has not changed a lot (relationship: +14%, singles: +5%, at least once a month). Welcome side effect: people who masturbate more frequently are – according to the Forsa survey – also happier with their sex life! 

The connection between sex and sushi 

It is probably no surprise that people are unhappy if they don’t have enough sex. But who would have thought that having sex every day is also not beneficial for a happy sex life? If sex becomes a routine and, quite literally, an everyday activity, it has a negative effect on people’s satisfaction: according to the recent Forsa survey commissioned by ORION, people in Germany are the happiest if they have sex several times a month but not every single day. Two or three times a week seems to be the perfect rate. That’s what it has in common with sushi. Or meeting up with friends: it’s a real pleasure if it happens on a regular basis, but every day would be too much since pleasure can turn into routine pretty quickly.